Machine for making and driving corrugated fasteners



Aug. 4, 1936. J. s. MCCHESNEY MACHINE FOR MAKING AND DRIVING CORRUGATED FASTENERS Filed May 2'7, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l A g. 4, 19 J. 5. McCHESNEY ,0 ,0

MACHINE FOR MAKING AND DRIVING CORRUGATED FASTENERS Filed May 2'7, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllllllllllll\I'IIlllll llIHIIIIIIIIIIHH 7 IIHIIITI'IHEIFBWI'IIllllllllllllv JG .illll .Ellllll l Patented Aug. 4,. 1936 PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR MAKING AND DRIVING L CORRUGATED FASTENERS John Sherman McChesney, Chicago, 1111.; Lula A. McChesney, executrix of said John Sherman McChesney, deceased,- assignor to Lula A. Me-

! Chesney Application May 27, 1933, Serial No. 673,137

15 illaims.

invention relates to a machine for making and driving corrugated fasteners and more particularly of a type wherein a metallic rib-' bon is fed and may be severed singly or progressively into a plurality of longitudinal strips and wherein each of said strips is caused to be fed continuously in a path and may be processed severally, one of said strips being selectively caused to move into the path of a cutter and under to be severed from the strip and under a plunger to be driven into the material to be joined.

The main objects of the invention are to make such fasteners from a continuous source of sup- 15 ply without loss of metal, with a minimum of operations and handling, thereby resulting in economy of material due to the novel features of construction therein.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

20 which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangements of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed,

7 it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine 30 embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal plan view substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the slitting, forming and severing elements of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view showing 35 the corrugating elements, the cut-off means and plunger for driving the finished product into a piece of material, including the driving means. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing paired elements for 40 severing the metallic ribbon into serrated edged lengths.

Fig. 5' is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2 showing a pair of rollers engaging the metallic ribbon.

45 Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 4"

in which a roller and cutting elements are used to sever the metallic ribbon longitudinally of its length.

Fig. 7 is a view partly in cross section and 50"sim'ilar to Fig. 4 except that the paired swaging elements are shown in such form as to sever the metallic ribbon producing a sharp straight beveled cutting edge on one edge of the strip.

Fig. 8 is a view partly in cross section in 5 which a pair of swaging elements are shown severing a metallic ribbon into a plurality of strips, said rolls having several swaging portions thereon for forming a sharpened edge on the strips.

Fig. 9 is a greatly enlarged view in side ele- 5 vation of a beveled undulated edged strip severed from metallic ribbon passed in swaging relation with a cooperating cylindrical swaging roll and a beveled undulated swaging roll.

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional 'view taken on the 0 line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of the corrugated fasteners.

Fig. 12 is a detailed perspective view showing the adjoining ends of a metallic ribbon lapwelded for continuous feeding of the ribbon and for effecting continuous operation of the machine; and

Fig. 13 is a detailed side elevation of a fastener having oppositely positioned sharp toothed swaged cutting edges and swaged extending flanges on each side produced by the scoring means.

Fig. 14 is a view in side elevation of a beveled serrating swaging roll. Figure 15 is a cross sectional view of a swaged beveled strip produced by opposed beveled swagers.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specifications and drawings. Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates a base from which the standard It extends and is adapted to support the operative parts at a suitable elevation. A work support l'l is mounted for adjustable vertical move- 3 ments on the standard It and is adjusted and held in position at various heights by means of the hand wheel l8 having a threaded shank l9 threaded in an upstanding boss 20 on the base l5 and its other end engaging the work support H. A drive shaft 2! having a drive wheel 2| is horizontally journaled in a head 22 and its other end extends forwardly over the work support I! and has a cam 23 fixed thereto. The cam 23 is provided with a camway 24 into which a follower 25 of a rocker arm 26 extends. This rocker arm 26 is mounted for pivotal movement at 26 on the frame member 21 and is pivotally connected to a blade holder 28 slidably mounted in a guide 29 on the frame member 21 and which has the cutter blade 30 secured thereto in coacting relation with a stationary cutter blade 95.

A connecting link 3! connects the cam 23 with a plunger 32 slidably mounted for vertical movements in the guides 33. The plunger 32 has a slot opening 34 in the lower end thereof to receive a relatively thin plunger blade 35 attached thereto by means of screws or the like 35. On the upper end of the plunger 32 is an arm 31 to which a connecting link 38 is pivotally attached having its other end pivotally attached to the free end 39 of a segmental gear 49 mounted for pivotal movement at 39' on the frame 21. The end 39 of the segmental gear 49 is provided with an elongated slot opening 4| in which a block 42 is slidably mounted having a stub-shaft 43 extending into a block 44 slidably mounted for vertical movements in a relatively long slot-opening 45 adjacent the lower end of the link 38. At each end of the members 38 and 39 is a set-screw 49 and 41 respectively adapted to adjust the throw of the segmental gear 49. The screw 46 being adjustable for increasing or decreasing the length of the slot-opening 45 thus to limit the vertical move-' ments therein of the block 44, while the screw 41 is threaded into the block 42 to fixedly position said block in the slot-opening 4| in the arm 39.

With this adjustment, it is possible to adjust the pivotal center 43 of the link 39 and the arm 39, so as to obtain various lengths of movement of the segmental gear 49 which intermittently drives the processing elements.

A spur gear 48 is in meshing engagement with the segmental gear and is mounted for free movement in one direction on a horizontally-extending shaft 49 carried in bearings 59 on a horizontal frame or support 5| extending outwardly on one side of the head 22. The spur gear 48 carries a ratchet dog 52 spring pressed in engagement with a ratchet wheel 53 fixed to the shaft 49. At spaced intervals on the shaft 49 are helical gears 54 fixed thereto and in meshing engagement with the helical gears 55 fixed to vertically extending shafts 59 journaled in the frame or support 5|. The vertically extending shafts 59, are each provided with a key-way 2 to secure swaging rolls, rollers and corrugating rolls of different types in turning relation therewith and each have a gear 51 in meshing engagement with a gear 58 fixed to the shafts 59 carried vertically in the support 5|. Each shaft 59 is provided with a key-way H3 and is journaled in an adjustable bearing 99 slidably mounted in an opening 9| and adjusted therein by means of a set screw 92 and a locknut 53.

The frame or support 5| is provided with upstanding end portions 64 and 95 for supporting a cover-plate 99 parallel to and in spaced relation with the frame 5|. This cover-plate 99 is provided with openings 91 into which the upper ends of the vertical shafts 59 are journaled, and is also provided with openings 93 into which a sliding block 99 is adjustably positioned by means of the set-screws 19 and lock-nuts 1|.

As thus far described, when the power is exerted on the drive shaft 2|, through the medium of the connecting link 3| the plunger 32 will be reciprocated, and by means of the link 39 at-.

tached thereto, a rocking movement of the segmental gear 49 will be had. As shown in Fig. 3, which illustrates the movement at substantially its uppermost position, it will be seen, that as the link 38 descends, a free movement will be had, until the shoulder 45' comes into contact with the block 44, at which time it will force the arm 39 downwardly, rocking the segmental gear 49 on its pivotal center 39 and by adjusting the screws 49 and 41 the movementof the segment may be regulated. The gear 49 being in the shafts 59 and the gears 51 which are in 10 meshing engagement with the gears 59 arranged in pairs with respect to each other, and will cause the turning movements of the vertical shafts 59. The shafts 59 will be caused to turn in a counter-clockwise direction, while all of the shafts 59 will turn in a clockwise direction (see Fig. 2) and a material ribbon A positioned between the elements carried by said vertical shafts will be caused to move to the right as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. As the metallic ribbon is moved between the elements, it is severed into strips longitudinally of its length by a swaging action of the several such elements arranged to increasingly swage the material to a greater depth.

25 The elements carried on these vertical shafts tively sharp, wide angled beveled swaging rolls 30 12 to grip the material ribbon A as it enters through a guide 13 positioned in the end portion 94 at the forward end of the machine. These rolls 12 are adjusted so as to contact the material A and partially force the stock outwardly on each side'thereof and also cause a forward feeding of the stock, which then enters a guide 14 to position the same between a pair of cylindrical rollers 15 whereby the upset metal of the stock A is crowded back into the material. The stock A then enters a guide 19 which directs the stock between the beveled swaging rolls 11 which are similar to the rolls 12 but which have a lesser included angle to that portion engaging the stock for a deeper impression therein and which registers with the impression thereon made by the rolls l2 and which will not contact the entire side walls of the previously swaged formations. The stock A now extends to a pair of smooth rolls 19 which crowd back into the stock, all of the upset metal caused by the rolls 11 at which 50 time it is nearly severed into strips. It then enters between a pair of rollers 19, one of which is provided with a plurality of radially extending knife-like portions 89 that contact and score the ribbon at given intervals and the stock then enters between another pair of rollers 9| to a pair of severing rolls 82 which sever the ribbon A into a plurality of strips a and b. At this point the material strips are caused to alternately pass on either side of a vertically extending rod 93 to positively separate the strips one from the other which are then caused to enter a pair of corrugating rolls 84 which partially crimp or corrugate the stock to be further-corrugated or crimped by means of the rolls 85 from which it passes outwardly of the support 5| through an, opening 89 in the end portion thereof to be further processed or to exit the machine.

As shownin Fig. 3 the top strip a enters into I a guide designated as a whole as 81 comprising a plate 99 fixed to the frame 21 and a plate 89 carried on and adjustably positioned to the plate "by means of- 'the screw 99 threaded therein.

Similar plates 9| and 92 are secured to the frame 21 and are ina lined spaced relation with the plates 88 and 89. The plate 92 is in spaced face to face relation with the plate 9| and is supported in the frame 21 by means of the rods 93 and yieldingly held in position by means of a spring 94 A cutter blade 95 secured to the frame 21 extends between the. plates 89 and 92 with the sharp edge thereof in line with the inner face of these plates and adapted to coact with the cutter blade 30 to sever the strip a into given lengths. As the strip a is fed forward, it is guided between the plates 88 and 89, and passes between the opposed cutter blades 30 and 95 and between the plates 9| and 92.

It will be noted, that the feeding of the strip takes place on the upward movement of the plunger 32'and remains dormant upon its downward movement, causing a step by step movement of the ribbon and strips. Upon the downward movement of the plunger 32, assuming that the drive shaft 2| is turning in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, the actuating portion 24 of the cam-way 24 will cause a rocking movement of the arm 26 and a forward sliding movement of the cutter-blade 30 to sever the strip a in each cycle of the cam. This cutting action takes place at the time the feeding action of the strip a is dormant and upon a partial move ment of the cam 24. The severed portion a of the strip a being retained between the plate 9! and 92 under the influence of the spring 94 and upon completing the cycle of the cam 24 the blade 35 descends on the top edge of the finished fastener and forces the same out of its position and drives it into the work placed upon the work-rest or support I1.

A stripper 96 is slidably mounted on the blade 95 and extends flush with the cutting edge thereof and is supported in a bearing 91 and yieldingly held in position by means of the compression spring 98.

The adjusting features of the segmental gear 40 and the link 38 serve to vary the stroke of said gear and thereby vary the feeding action of the processing elements to selectively produce finished fasteners of any desired length within the maximum stroke of the segmental'gear 48.

As it is not necessary to score the strip that is severed by means of the cutter 30, the scoring blades extend only that distance which is not in contact with the strip a, thereby scoring all of the other strips which are fed outwardly of the machine to be coiled upon rolls (not shown) and which may be easily broken at the scored point when desired. To vary the length of the scored fasteners, it is only necessary to replace the roll 19 having the scoring blades thereon with rolls having the desired number of scoring blades; this being accomplished by merely removing the top plate 66 which permits accessibility to the processing elements.

The cooperative swaging elements of the swaging units, representative types of which are illustrated in Figs. 4, 6, 7, 8 and 14 simultaneously press the counterpart of their configurations into the metallic ribbon, sever the ribbon into a plurality of strips, compress and work-harden the metal of the penetrating end and thereby produce a smooth highly polished beveled surface and a sharp cutting edge on one edge of each of .the resultant strips. The penetrating end of the strips being formed in this manner may be produced in a wide variety of configurations, 1. e., toothed, undulated, saw edged or straight, that is without indentations.

The cutting edge of the penetrating end of the strip may be beveled at various angles, two outstanding forms illustrated in Figs. 4, '7 and 8. In one arrangement the opposed roller element in each swaging unit is of like configuration and these units are adapted to swage the ribbon into strips, each strip having on its penetrating end a beveled edge of V shaped appearance when viewed in end cross section as in Fig. 15. The cutting edge there shown is the intersection of the beveled surfaces and lies substantially in the line of the medial plane of the strip.

In another arrangement shown in Fig. 6, a plain cylindrical roller element 12 is opposed to a toothed roller element which may be of any desired configuration. swaging units having this arrangement are adapted to produce strips having a penetrating end provided with a single beveled surface intersecting one relatively wide longitudinal surface of the strip and forming a cutting edge 8 integral therewith, the contour of the cutting edge being the result of the configuration of the swaging elements forming the swaging unit. All of the swaging elements are removably secured, preferably by keys, to their respective shafts, in order to permit interchange-ability with other swaging elements of like or dissimilar configuration. The machine is adapted to produce a wide variety of penetrating end configurations with a minimum of effort due to the novel interchangeable arrangement of the elements forming the swaging units.

In some instances the machine may be oper: ated without the fastener driving means, and when so operated, the blade 35 may be removed from the plunger 32 by removing the screws 36 and also with drawing the pivot-pin 26 connecting the arm 26 with the reciprocating cutter-arm 28. The drive shaft 2| will then operate the plunger 32 to rock the segmental gear 48 and drive the parts in meshing engagement therewith to intermittently drive the stock through and out of the machine in continuous strips. An opening llll is provided in the side wall of the cover-plate I02 through which the processed material may pass as a flat sharpened strip or in corrugated form, or one or more tions. When desired, the machine may be driven continuously by applying the powerto the pulley I00 fixed to the shaft 49 thereby turning the shaft 49 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 inadvance of the dog 52 which will ratchet during the turning movement of the shaft 49, and all of the operable parts to the right thereof will remain dormant.

Any number of processing elements may be employed as in some instances the stock may be swaged into strips and not corrugated, to be later corrugated or formed into fasteners having cor rugations of different widths.

As all of the processing elements are adjustable in pairs by means of the set-screws 82 and 10 secured by means of the lock-nuts 63 and "II respectively, theseprocessing elements may be ill. The metallic ribbons are each provided with a beveled edge I, one overlapping the other when set together, and are provided with a cut-out portion Ill forming an opening III to provide clearance for the swaging edge of the rolls when fed into the machine. These ribbons are lap welded at Ill! thereby forming a rigid continuous length without the additional stock at the adioining edges.

While I have illustrated an adequate operative device, it will be realized that I do not wish to be limited to the specific details and steps shown, or to the specific order of the steps. I wish my description to be considered in a broad sense as diagrammatic and illustrative since many changes in the form and in the arrangement of the parts used to accomplish the steps may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:-- p

1. In a machine for making fasteners, the combination of means for progressively swaging a metallic ribbon to sever the ribbon into beveled serrated strips, separating means for alternately deflecting said strips, and corrugating means for transversely corrugating said strips.

2. In a machine for making fasteners, the combination of means for swaging a metallic ribbon to sever the same into separate strips and simultaneously sharpening the edge thereof, means for scoring a strip for breakability at given intervals of its length, and means for corrugating a plurality of said strips.

3. In a machine for making and driving corrugating fasteners, the combination of means for sequentially swaging a metallic ribbon to sever the same into separate strips and simultaneously sharpening the edge thereof, means for scoring some of the strips, means for corrugating said strips, a cutter adapted to extend into the path of an unsccred strip to sever the same at given intervals/and a plunger for forcing the severed end of the strip into the material to be Joined.

4. A fastener making machine comprising meansfor positioning a ribbon within a succession of ribbon locating guides in combination with paired processing rolls adapted to grip swage bevel serrate and feed said ribbon therebetween, one of said paired rolls having a cylindrical surface and the other of said paired rolls having a beveled surface held short of contact with the opposing paired roll, said rolls cooperating to sever the ribbon into strips each of said strips having a serrated, beveled sharp cutting edge and means for corrugating said strips.

5. A fastener making machine comprising a plurality of processing elements adapted to grip and feed, swage, roll, score and corrugate a metallic ribbon therebetween to progressively sever said ribbon into a pluralityof strips having a sharpened finished cutting edge, said scoring providing for breakability at given intervals of their length.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a support for the material to be joined of a frame portion arranged to extend above said support having arranged thereon a plurality of swaging, scoring and corrugating rolls adapted to advance and severally process and sever a metallic ribbon into a plurality of strips, means for varying the amount of said ribbon advanced, a guide adjacent the corrugating rolls -to receive one of the strips, a resilient holding means spaced from and aligned 'one of said strips,

bevel-slitting flat metal stock into strips and for with said guide. a cutter adapted to sever the end of the strip at a point between the guide and said holding means, and means for forcing the severed end from said holding means into thematerial to be Joined. i 5

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a support for the material to beioined of a frame portion arranged above the support having arranged thereon a plurality of swaging, rolling, scoring and corrugating rollslo adapted to advance and severally process and sever a metallic ribbon into a plurality of strips and simultaneously sharpen the edge thereof, means for varying the amount of the ribbon advanced, a cutter adapted to sever one of said 15 strips, guiding and holding means for retaining the severed portion, and means for forcing said severed portion from said guiding and holding means into the material to be joined.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a support for the material to be Joined of a frame portion arranged above the support having arranged thereon a plurality of swaging. tolling, scoring and corrugating rolls adapted to advance and severally process and 25 sever a metallic ribbon into a plurality of strips and simultaneously sharpen the edge thereof, means for varying the amount of the ribbon advanced, means for diverting each of said strips away from each other, a cutter adapted to sever guiding and holding means for retaining the severed portion, and means for forcing said severed portion from said guiding and holding means into the. material to be joined.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a support for the material to be joined of a frame portion arranged above the support having arranged thereon a plurality of swaging, rolling, scoring and corrugating rolls adaptedto advance and severally process and sever a metallic ribbon into a plurality of strips and simultaneously sharpen the edge thereof, means for varying the amount of the ribbon advanced, means for diverting each of said strips away from each other, a cutter adapted to sever one of said strips, guiding and holding means for retaining the severed portion, means for forcing said severed portion from said guiding and holding means into the material to be Joined, and lands on said swaging, scoring and corrugating rolls limiting the face to face contact.

10. In a machine for making corrugated fasteners, the combination of means for swagesimultaneously bevel-serrating a hardened sharp cutting edge on one edge of each strip, means for corrugating the strip to position the apices of the serrations in unsymmetrical relation.

11. In a machine for making toothed corrugated fasteners the combination of swaging units which comprise a cylindrical swaging roll coacting with a plain surfaced beveled swaging roll for swage-beveiing and swage-slitting flat metallic stockv simultaneously producing a swagebeveled sharp-cutting toothed edge on one relatively wide longitudinal edge of each strip and co-acting corrugators for transversely cormg'ating said strips, said corrugating means producing an undulated continuous cutting edge.

12. In a machine for making corrugated fasteners, the combination of cylindrical swaging and beveled swaging means for producing a plurality of sharp-cutting hardened edged beveled strips from flat metal stock, rotating corrugating 75 mechanism embodying cooperating rolls each of which is in keyed position on rotating members provided with corrugations and means whereby one of said rotating members may be transversely adjusted with respect to the other of said rotating members so that the corrugations on one roll may be fixedly spaced with reference to the corrugations on the other roll, and means for severing the corrugated strips into relatively short lengths.

13. In a machine for producing fasteners from metallic ribbon, the combination of opposed stock swaging rotatable units for slitting a ribbon passed between said units into beveled edged strips, one of said units comprising in combination integral swaging elements for beveling and slitting and the other of said units comprising a plain surfaced cylindrical swaging element, each of said units having cylindrical contacting lands for maintaining the swaging elements short of contact, and driving means for rotating the said units.

14. In a machine for producing fasteners from metallic ribbon, the combination of a series of opposed ribbon swaging units, one of said units having oppositely inclined oppositely beveled surfaces intersecting and forming a continuous cutting edge on a swage severing element and the other of said units having a plain cylindrical surface, said units forming a continuous beveled cutting edge on one side of a ribbon thereby producing strips, each of said strips having a continuous beveled cutting edge on one edge thereof, and means for transversely corrugating the strips.

15. In a machine for making and driving corrugated metal fasteners, the combination of a series of coordinated elements comprising, first, ribbon guiding elements cooperating with 00- acting swaging elements for guiding a metallic ribbon in the direction of its length into swaging relation with swagers adapted to swage the ribbon into strips each strip having a beveled surface intersecting one relatively wide face of the strip forming a cutting edge requiring no further sharpening treatment, of corrugated elements for then forming transverse corrugations in each strip, of a corrugated strip guiding element for then guiding one of said corrugated strips exit the machine, of co-acting corrugated strip severing elements for then severing the other of said corrugated strips into suitable lengths forming corrugated fasteners, of spring pressed holding elements for then holding the fastener in position to receive a fastener driver element, of a fastener driver element for finally driving the severed corrugated fastener edgewise and in a direction to insert the corrugations endwise, and suitable operating connections by which the swaging corrugating cutting and driving operations are performed on the ribbon, strip, corrugated strip and fastener iiithe order mentioned, including a single shaft the end of which is operatively connected by a fixed element thereon with all said elements and mechanism comprising a clutch for controlling the rotation of said shaft.

JOHN SHERMAN MCCHESNEY. 

